To report your sightings
please phone the Store at 390-3669
or e-mail us at thebackyard at shaw.ca
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com
Bird Alert --390-3029---
Post your sightings on this site--
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number, along with the date and location of your sighting.

"Christmas Bird Counts"
If you would like to participate in any or all of the counts, contact the
following people---

Nanoose Bay Christmas Bird Count
December 14, 2007
Contact-Rhys Harrison at
rhysharrison at shaw.ca
*******************************
Parksville--Qualicum Beach Christmas Bird Count
December 16, 2007
Contact- Sandra Gray at
saninerr at shaw.ca
**********************************
The Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count
Sunday December 30, 2007
Contact- Carlo Pavan
cpavan at uvic.ca
Phone-758-3765
***********************************
Sunday November 18, 2007:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Among the
highlights were the sighting of a large flock of Pine Siskins and Red
Crossbills and the resident Spotted Sandpiper was seen at Sunset Beach
roosting on a log.
Seventeen birders found the following forty species: Mallard, Bufflehead,
Common Goldeneye, White-winged Scoter, Surf Scoter, Common Merganser, Common
Loon, Pacific Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Harlequin Duck, Brandt's
Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Spotted Sandpiper,
Black Oystercatchers, Black Turnstones, Bald Eagle, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew
Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern
Flicker, Downey Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Spotted Towhee,
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Winter
Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Song Sparrow, Fox
Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Pine Siskin and Red
Crossbill.

Saturday November 17:
A Blue Jay, an Eared Grebe and an immature Yellow-billed Loon were seen in
Sooke.
An adult Clark's Grebe was seen offshore from the west coast road at the
lookout area at Otter Point near Sooke.
Four Northern Pintail were seen at Westwood Lake in Nanaimo.

Friday November 16:
Rare Bird Alert " TROPICAL KINGBIRD"
A TROPICAL KINGBIRD was seen at about 2:00 p.m. at the Nanaimo River
Estuary, Raines Road side.
The Kingbird was seen about 100 yards from the Viewing Tower looking towards
Duke Point.

A Northern Shrike, a Northern Harrier, three Western Meadowlarks, a Wilson's
Snipe, two Short-eared Owls hunting together and one TROPICAL KINGBIRD were
seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary, Raines Road side.

One Anna's Hummingbird was seen visiting feeders in the 3400 Block of
Blackfoot Way in Nanaimo.

Thursday November 15:
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Harlequin Duck, Surf
Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead,
Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted
Merganser, Red-throated Loon, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe,
Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle,
Cooper's Hawk, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Bonaparte's
Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Western Gull,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Glaucous Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker,
Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, American Robin, European
Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged
Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch and Red Crossbill were seen at
the Little Qualicum River Estuary just north of Qualicum Beach.

Wednesday November 14:
The Wednesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach. Among the highlights were
several Long-tailed Ducks, a Red-throated Loon, over eighty Black
Turnstones, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes. Nine birders found the
following thirty-five species: American Wigeon, Mallard, Harlequin Duck,
Surf Scoter,
White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common
Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Loon,
Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested
Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black Oystercatcher, Black
Turnstone, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Thayer's Gull,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow,
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, European Starling, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed
Junco, House Finch and Pine Siskin.

An Anna's Hummingbird is visiting feeders in the 6500 block of Ptarmigan Way
in Nanaimo and along Remora Place in Nanoose Bay.

Tuesday November 13:
Eighty Surfbirds were seen at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
Anna's Hummingbirds are visiting feeders in the 200 block of Dawkins Lane in
Nanaimo.

Monday November 12:
During the wind, rain and heavy sea's the following species were seen
between Sooke and Jordan River, on the west side of Vancouver Island--
Twenty-one Brown Pelicans near Gordon's Beach
Northern Fulmars, Short-tailed Shearwaters and one Bullers Shearwater off
the Strait of Juan de Fuca
One immature Black-legged Kittiwake and a Slaty-backed Gull at Jordan River.
A 3rd year Glaucous Gull at Whiffin Spit.
Snow Goose and Cackling Geese in Sooke.
Winter storms tend to take birds off their normal course.
Keep an eye out for unusual species during stormy weather. If you see
anything unusual give us a call at the Bird Store.

Sunday November 11:
A female Long-tailed Duck was sighted about 100 metres offshore of Jacks
Road in Lantzville.
Four Trumpeter Swans flew over Andrea Crescent in Lantzville.
A large flock of Northern Pintail Ducks were seen on the Englishman River
Estuary in Parksville.

Thursday November 08:
An immature Tundra Swan was seen in the 7700 block of Anderson Drive,
Whaling Station Bay, Hornby Island.

For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a
bird please call The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
at (250) 390-3669
Toll Free at 1-888-249-4145
e-mail: thebackyard at shaw.ca
***********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday November 26, 2007 at 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
Thursday December 13, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Stan Orchard will speak on "Bullfrog Control Programs"
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
The Wednesday Bird Walk on November 21, 2007 will be going to Deep Bay.
Meet at the Visitor Centre in Parksville on Highway 19A and Northwest Bay
Road at 9 a.m. or at the parking area at the Deep Bay Marina near the
Grocery Store at about 9:40 a.m.
**************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on November 25, 2007, will be going to the Nanaimo
River Estuary.
Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 am or at the parking area at the end of Raines
Road at about 9:30 a.m.
**************************************
Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo